Vocal power to project your pitch. YouTube site will show you how.

Wherever you look, there is a tangle of flats, shrubs, standards and climbers. Local gardeners, way better at early morning alertness than I am, scramble to get to the good stuff before rival gardeners get there first.

Where first? Which direction? Do I have the patience to dig for the bargain Impatiens?

“10 flats for 40 bucks. 15 flats for 50.”

Loud, clear, and cutting the chaos around me, a vendor’s sales call guided me direct to his pitch.

Public speaking originated in a strikingly similar environment. The Agora in ancient Athens was a thriving temple-ringed market. From the prostitutes to the philosophers, all at the Agora were selling their wares.

For the philosophers this meant standing and proclaiming sufficiently loudly and clearly that they too could cut the chaos and attract a crowd. Crowds meant fame. Fame meant students. Students meant someone paid you!

Nothing’s changed. From the Agora of Athens to your local farmer’s market, vocal skills remain essential to holding an audience.

This week I’ve discovered this excellent section of ExpertVillage. The video clips contained in this library are short and memorable. Everything you need for vocal clarity all contained in one handy spot: